Secure care: consultation – summary version

10. One main place for help if someone was harmed (SPOC)

A new Single Point of Contact (SPOC) is being created for people harmed by a child whose case is being looked at in the Children’s Hearings System.

Right now, people can get information from lots of different organisations, which can be confusing. A SPOC would make it simpler. The SPOC will give clear information, be kind and trauma‑informed, and help people find the right support when they need it.

10.1 What the new rules say

New rules in Scotland say that people who have been harmed by a child’s violent or unsafe behaviour should be able to ask for information about what happened in the children’s hearing. The Scottish Government must create a service to help them do this.

10.2 Why change is needed

Scotland wants to:

• Talk to victims in a kind, trauma‑informed way.
• Give victims clear and easy information.
• Help victims understand what is happening in the children’s hearing.
• Support victims so they feel safe and know their rights.

10.3 Who is helping create this new service

Victim Support Scotland (VSS) are working with lots of organisations to design how the SPOC should work. They are creating ways for victims to get advice and support, even when the child who caused harm is under 12.

The idea is to help different services share information safely and make sure victims know what support they can get.

10.4 What the SPOC will do:

A dedicated contact person

The SPOC will give every victim one person or team they can talk to. This person will help them feel understood and supported. Victims will get clear information about what might happen next and what choices they have.

10.5 Working with other services

To help victims properly, the SPOC will work with:

• Police
• Social Work
• Children’s Reporter
• Courts
• Health services
• Counselling and mental health teams
• Organisations that support victims of crime, domestic abuse or other harms
• Youth workers, schools and housing services

This teamwork makes sure victims get the right help.

10.6 Support that fits each victim

The SPOC will make sure victims get the type of support they need. Victims will get clear explanations about what is happening, feel less worried and know their case is being taken seriously. Young victims and their families will understand what comes next.

By giving kind, trauma‑informed support, the SPOC helps victims feel safe and cared for.

10.7 How this links to secure care changes

The “Reimagining Secure Care” work in Scotland focuses on children’s rights, relationships and recovery.

The SPOC fits with these changes because:

• If secure care becomes a national service, victim support could also become national and more consistent.
• A new national placement system for secure care could think about how decisions affect victims.
• Community options (like “flex secure”) need victims to feel safe and understand decisions.
• Mental health and trauma support should help both children who cause harm and children or adults who have been harmed.

Questions about SPOC (Q30–Q35)

Q30. How should the SPOC work with police, health, schools and support services, and what training do staff need?

Q31. What would make the SPOC easy to use, suitable for different ages and trauma‑informed?

Q32. Should the SPOC help people find counselling and other kinds of support? ☐ Yes ☐ No Why?

Q33. Should the SPOC have money to provide some support directly? ☐ Yes ☐ No Why?

Q34. If the SPOC has trained staff and some volunteers, what are the benefits of that, and what training or qualifications would they need?

Q35. Should the SPOC be able to receive safe information from others (like police or councils) to help people even when a case does not go to a Children’s Hearing? ☐ Yes ☐ No Why?